Thin films are generally fabricated in process chambers selectively adapted for performing various deposition, etch, and thermal processes, among other processes, upon substrates, such as silicon (Si) wafers, gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers, glass or sapphire substrates, and the like. These processes often use or develop process environments (e.g., environments containing aggressive chemistries, plasmas, by-products, etc.) that may gradually erode, consume, or contaminate various exposed components of the processing chambers, such as substrate supports, substrate lift pins, process kits (e.g., heat rings, deposition rings, retaining rings, and the like), process shields (heat shields, plasma shields, and the like), and the like. As such, these components are periodically inspected, refurbished (e.g., cleaned), and/or replaced—typically, on a set maintenance schedule (e.g., after a predetermined number of manufacturing cycles).
One such material is silicon carbide (SiC). As an example, many process chambers utilize components, such as a substrate support, fabricated from graphite having a silicon carbide coating or fabricated substantially completely from silicon carbide. A silicon carbide coating is typically formed via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) upon the graphite components. However, the corrosive chemistries used in a process chamber, such as but not limited to chlorine or fluorine containing chemistries, will react with the SiC material and oxidize carbon atoms from the material. The rapid deterioration of the SiC leads to more frequent refurbishment and/or replacement of components. Currently, SiC components can be protected by applying an ex-situ coating, such as by plasma spray or ion assisted deposition. However, such processes have challenges such as cracking and delamination at high temperatures, poor conformability of coating material to susceptor architecture, increased lead time and poor coating quality.
Accordingly, the inventors have developed improved corrosion resistant substrate supports and methods of forming corrosion resistant substrate supports.